Blyton voted
Posted Wed Aug 20, 2008 8:25am AEST
Enid Blyton is also the creator of
the Noddy series.
Bestselling writer JK Rowling
suffered a rare literary defeat yesterday when Enid Blyton was voted
In second place was Charlie And The
Chocolate Factory author Roald Dahl. Rowling was third.
Blyton has sold more than 500
million books worldwide and is best known for her Famous Five books of the
1940s and 50s in which Julian, Dick, Anne and George and Timmy the dog foil
kidnappers and smugglers aided by "lashings" of ginger beer and cream
buns.
Critics have long branded her books
sexist, racist and overly simplistic, but Blyton's stories remain hugely
popular, selling more than 10 million copies a year.
"We are delighted that the
British public has voted Enid Blyton its best-loved author," said Jeff
Norton, director of brand development at Chorion - owners of the Blyton estate.
"Her storytelling is timeless
and this result confirms that her books are still a firm favourite today."
With the top three of the poll
dominated by children's authors, Jane Austen came fourth and Shakespeare was
fifth.
The poll of 2,000 adults was
commissioned to mark the 2008 Costa Book Awards.
It was carried out in the first two
weeks of August.
- Reuters
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/20/2340818.htm
Inside stories for prisoners' children
Posted Wed Oct 1, 2008 2:45pm AEST
Updated Wed Oct 1, 2008 3:10pm AEST
Fathers in prison can now read a
story to their children. (ABC News: Stacey Eldridge)
Inmates at
The program was pioneered at the
UK's Dartmoore Prison and has been adapted for Tasmanian prisoners.
The children of inmates often miss
out on developing a bond with their fathers, now they can hear the sound of
their father's voice as he reads a story to them.
Inmates are recorded on CD reading
story books, which is sent to their children, along with the books so they can
read along at home.
Course Co-ordinator Sandra Duncan
says the program aims to break the cycle of intergenerational literacy problems
and crime.
The Director of Prisons Graeme
Barber says the program hasn't only benefited the inmates' children, with many
prisoners showing a marked improvement in their own literacy.